Wave motor



April 7, 19.31. M HANSEN I 1,799,848

WAVE MOTOR Filed May 20, 1930 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

plan.

Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARTIN I. HANSEN, OF VENTUBA, CALIFORNIA WAVE MOTOR Application filed May 20,

* reservoir, said cylinders being provided with pistons which are operatively connected with anchors, thereby causing the rocking move ments of the float to operate said pistons, and thus to supply to said tank or reservoir air or liquid which is used in producing power, as desired.

An object of the invention is to provide a very simple, dependable and relatively inexpensive means for anchoring the float or boat used to generate the power so that it will not be displaced or injured by the force of the waves during storms, but it will nevertheless permit the float to freely perform its rocking movements whereby the power is generated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a superior arrangement of power transmitting piston cylinder and piston therefor, whereby said piston cylinder may be c0nveniently attached to the boat or float thus making the invention more readily applicable to boats already on the market.

till another object of the invention is to provide an improved general arrangement of the piston cylinders, piston rods, anchorage therefor, and pressure reservoir with which said piston cylinders are connected by conduits.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what is at present deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is an end view of the complete device showing the same installed for use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on lines 3-3 of Fig. 2, one corner portion of the frame to which the float is anchored being shown in Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the upper portion of one of the pump cylinders showing the conduits and valves.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical midi-section 1930. Serial No. 453,975.

offthe bearing construction which is used for each of the four piles.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the float 5 is shown constructed as a boat which is kept in place as it floats upon the water 6 by means of a plurality of piles made up of the front piles 7 and the rear or sternal piles 8. The tops of the rear piles 8 are connected to each other by the cross bar 10 and the tops of the front piles 7 are connected by the cross bar' .12, and the side bars 13 complete ,the bracing frame. .At each side of the boat the crossed stay rods 14 are provided in order to brace the piles 7 and 8 in a stable manner. Attached to the bow portion of the boat, at each side thereof, is a bearing member 15 which slidably engages the pile 7 at that side of the boat, while a like bearing member 16 is'attached to the sternal portion of each side of the boat in order to slidably engage the V pile 8 at that side of the boat. "This arrangement is duplicated at both sides of the boat,

thereby affording a stable anchorage therefor, these bearing members being sufiieiently loose with respect to the piles which they surround, to permit the boat to rock and thereby produce power from the waves as will later i e described v In Fig. 5 is shown in detail the character of loose bearing 15 used in connection with one of the piles 7 it being understood that the other bearings16 are also constructed in the same general manner. In this view the 7 bearing opening 15a through the bearing member 15 is shown flared at each end there being a clearance 156 between the pile and the narrowest portion of the bearing; This construction provides ample room forth rocking movements of the boat.

To the bow of the boat is attached an upright piston cylinder 20 by means of a bifurcated bracket 21 which is secured to or formed as a part of the pistoncylinder 20. The bifurcations of said bracket pass astride the bow of the boat and are secured to the boat by means of any suitable fastening device such as the screws22.: This construction provides means for readily attaching the cylinder 20 to a boat as already constructed.

iii.

Said piston cylinder 20 is provided with a piston 24 having a piston rod 25 which projects from the lower end of said piston.

To the projecting end of said piston rod 25 is pivotally secured a connecting rod or link 26, the lower end of said link 26 being pivotlly attached to an anchor post 2? which has been driven into the soil 28.

At the stern of the boat an upstanding pivot cylinder 30 is provided with a piston 81 having a downwardly extending piston rod 32 a portion of which projects below said piston. To said projecting portion of said piston rod 32 is pivotally connected a link 33, the lower end of which is pivotally connected with the anchor pile 34 which is provided at that end of the boat.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, an air pressure reservoir 40, having a safety valve a, is shown carried by the boat, this pressure reservoir being connected by means of a conduit ll to the front piston cylinder 20 and by another conduit 42 to the rear piston cylinder 80. This arrangement of conduits and piston cylinders produces a more uniform and steady supply of air from the piston cylinders to the air reservoir 40 than would be afforded if both the piston cylinders were located at the same end of the boat.

Referring more in detail to the piston cylinder 20 and valves and pipes therefor, an air inlet pipe 43 is provided which is provided with a check valve 4366 thus permitting the valve to enter the cylinder but preventing its escape through said pipe 43.

Upon the pipe 41 is provided a check valve 41a which permits the air to flow only in the direction indicated by the arrow at the right side of Fig. l. This arrangement of valves and pipes is duplicated for the piston cylinder 30 at the other end of the boat.

In Fig. 3 is shown an air engine 45 which is operated by air supplied thereto from tank i0 by means of a conduit 46. Said engine is shown as provided with a fly-wheel 4:7 and a belt 48, said belt transmitting power to the electric generator 50. It will be understood that the power transmitting arrangement just described is only suggestive and that any desirable arrangement of mechanism adapted to be driven by pressure from the tank 40 may be provided.

Claims:

1. In a wave motor, a float, a plurality of "piles arranged to form an anchorage for said float, means loosely connecting said float with said piles to permit said float to be rocked by the waves, pistons mounted on opposite end portions of said float, cylinders for said pistons, anchors connected with said pistons to cause them to operate as the float rocks, a pressure reservoir, and conduits connecting said cylinders with said pressure reservoir.

2. In a wave motor, a boat, piles located at each side of said boat, means loosely connecting said boat with said piles to permit the end portions of said boat to rise and fall under the action of the waves, an upwardly and downwardly extending piston cylinder attached to the bow of the boat, another upwardly and downwardly extending piston cylinder attached to the stern of the boat, pistons for said cylinders, anchors for said pistons, said pistons having rods which extend downwardly and towards said anchors, means operatively connecting the rods of said pistons with said anchors to cause them to be operated by the rocking of said boat, a pressure tank, conduits connecting both of said piston cylinders with said pressure tank, and power transmitting mechanism operable by liquid or fluid pressure applied thereto from said tank.

3. In a wave motor, a boat, piles located at each side of said boat, means loosely connecting said boat with said piles to permit the end portions of said boat to rise and fall under the action of the waves, an upwardly and downwardly extending piston cylinder attached to the bow of the boat, another upwardly and downwardly extending piston cylinder attached to the stern of the boat, pistons for said cylinders, anchors for said pistons, said pistons having rods which extend downwardly and towards said anchors, means operatively connecting the rods of said pistons with said anchors to cause them to be operated by the rocking of said boat, and power generating means actuated by the pressure developed within said cylinders.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiir-z my signature.

MARTIN I. HANSEN. 

